June 21, 2021 ~ Monday (the first day of Summer)
If Summer could be encapsulated into one lovely 24 hour day … it could very well look like today … the first day of Summer … NW style.
It was warm … as in VERY warm (mid 70s) by late morning. We’d already surpassed our regular summertime highs before noon. Delightful!
The NW isn’t notoriously known for its heat. But, today (and by the looks of it – this week) we were notably warmer than warm, sunshinier than sunshiny – if that’s a thing. In other words … it felt like SUMMER!
It’s good to be back home. I was gone 3 weeks to CO/and the southern states. After a week of dogs, returning to normal life, having my mom here with me … today felt GOOD. I’m my happiest self – in the summer months – when it’s 80-85 degrees. Okay – maybe 78 – 88, if I am a bit more realistic. But because I’m up in the NW – we might only get a handful of days ALL summer that reach 80 or more degrees. I miss that. So, the temps today made this day especially glorious.
We drove up island for Starbucks and Burger King. Simple pleasures on a simply beautiful day. We nosed around the Dollar Store – more simple pleasures. My mom says “Now she’s lived.” cuz she’d never been in one before. Her age is that of a radio station … 92.5. That’s quite a feat!
We drove through forests and beside crop fields; our noses were sniffing non-stop the entire trip as we passed meadow grasses, fresh mown hay fields, Scotchbroom, flowers … it was fabulously aromatic. We ate looking out – over the water – and watched two eagles making lazy, wide circles in the sky (and thanks to them, I have the song from Oklahoma! stuck in my head!) … on our way home, we passed waving wheat fields (more of the Oklahoma! song in my head!). We went up and down hills, drove past marshes and vast water, beaches and mountain vistas. We moo’d at cows and ogled oyster beds. We ended up eating fried chicken, watermelon and potato salad at the table on the deck at 8pm without a hint of chill or twilight.
After dinner I sat on my front steps (I’m a step sitter) and read through my mail (mostly catalogs but I gave a few of them my attention). It was just so nice to sit and listen to the leaves rustle in the maple … a soft, warm evening breeze moving them ever so slightly. I have six dogs here this week … three of them were at my sides. Lovely.
I haven’t walked the cliff walk in a month – gone/crazy week – so, I ventured out tonight. I only did half of my normal route but it was good to bid goodnight to the bunnies and peeping robins and to thank the light post as I walked under it for it’s guideance as the light turned on (I have an uncanny knack for that!) – even though, the light was not yet needed. I ooh’d at the progress of the house being built down the road (they’re making progress). The storybook look of the tumbled boulders that formed its chimney had me thinking, once again, of the Three Bears. They’d like this house. I passed a house for sale – on the cliff/pretty/good property – they will get tons of offers (over listing price) on this one. After reaching the end, as I turned to go back home two deer jumped out of the bushes ahead of me – startling me (and perhaps themselves). The sky wasn’t even pale lilac when I went through my gate … the sky stays light until well after 10pm these days. The best part of summer on the island.
I just let the dogs out once more before tucking them all into bed … the stars were like diamonds in the vast deep blue sky. Breathtaking.
I’m off to bed. It was such a lovely day and I am grateful I got to spend it as I wished … and with my mom. What gifts. Happy Summer!